Telangana: BJP Boycotts MLAs Oath-Taking Ceremony In Assembly After Akbaruddin Owaisi's Appointment As Pro-Tem Speaker

Telangana BJP on Saturday (9 December) boycotted the oath ceremony for the newly elected MLAs, objecting to the new Congress government appointing AIMIM's Akbaruddin Owaisi as Protem Speaker of the state assembly.

The Protem Speaker is tasked with administering oath to the newly elected legislators. 

BJP MLA T Raja Singh, who won from Goshamahal seat in last month's assembly elections, said in a video message that he would never take oath "as long as he is alive" in front of the AIMIM.

He said he would take oath only after a full term speaker is appointed.

"Can I take oath in front of a person (Akbaruddin Owaisi) who made anti-Hindu comments in the past," he asked.

Telangana BJP President and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy confirmed that the party MLAs will not take oath in the maiden session of the new Legislative Assembly in protest again

“Within three days of taking power with a tiny majority and in danger of collapsing any day, the Congress Party has gone back to its traditional ways throwing legislative practices to the winds as the the party will need the Majlis Party support. What was the basis to appoint Owaisi when there are so many other senior legislators,” he questioned, at a press conference at the party office, The Hindu reported.

Surrounded by the recently elected MLAs, Reddy expressed the party's firm opposition to the move and insisted that the election of a permanent speaker should be conducted by another individual.

The BJP leader claimed that appointing Owaisi as the pro-tem speaker has only confirmed the party’s charge that the Congress Party had a tacit understanding with the Majlis Party during the elections.

“We will take the oath only after a permanent speaker is elected for the Legislative Assembly,” he declared.